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Police Say Stabbed Teens Were Aggressors In Fatal Stabbing

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Meriden police say their investigation indicates that the victim of fatal stabbing last month and another stabbing victim who was with him were the aggressors in the encounter that led to their death.

Police 15-year-old stabbing victim Deandre Felton and a 13-year-old were with a group of young people. Witnesses say the two said they wanted to “look for trouble” and “beat someone up, ” and broke away to attack an man who was not part of the group. Witnesses say they jumped him from behind and began assaulting him. He responded by defending himself with a pen-knife.

The two teens ran back to the group, where they collapsed from their wounds. Felton died and the other teen was in critical condition. He is still recovering from his wounds. The man they attacked ran the other direction.

Police say they located him within a day, through witness statements and evidence, including video surveillance. Police say he cooperated with them., including giving a statement that agreed with witness accounts, and turning over the pocketknife he used. Police say when he heard that one of the two had died he became visibily upset.

Police are not releasing his identity at this time. They’ve sent information in the case to the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office to consider possible charges in the case.

They say they waited to release information about the case so the family and the community could mourn. Police have begun strictly enforcing Meriden’s youth curfew, with parents of violators to be fined $90. They’re also working with property owners to combat teen loitering and with schools and community groups to defuse tensions.